Repotting guide

When & how to repot Nasturtium 'Alaska' (Tropaeolum majus 'Alaska')

Also called Variegated nasturtium.

More about nasturtium 'alaska'

About Nasturtium 'Alaska'

Tropaeolum majus 'Alaska' · also called Variegated nasturtium · edible

'Alaska' is a compact, bushy nasturtium grown for its cream-and-green marbled, variegated foliage as much as its bright red, orange and yellow flowers. Leaves and flowers are edible and peppery. A quick hardy annual, it flowers best on poor soil in full sun, suits pots and edges, and self-seeds freely after frost-free sowing.

Mature size: About 25-30 cm tall and 30-40 cm wide.

How to tell nasturtium 'alaska' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For nasturtium 'alaska', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot nasturtium 'alaska' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot nasturtium 'alaska'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Nasturtium 'Alaska'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Compact, mounding bushy annual with distinctive cream-marbled variegated leaves, ideal for containers, edging and the front of borders..

What size pot to step nasturtium 'alaska' up to

Pot nasturtium 'alaska' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot nasturtium 'alaska'

Pot nasturtium 'alaska' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting nasturtium 'alaska'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check nasturtium 'alaska' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh light, free-draining, poor-to-average soil at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water nasturtium 'alaska' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for nasturtium 'alaska'

Nasturtium 'Alaska' wants light, free-draining, poor-to-average soil. Blooms most on poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil at pH 6.0-7.5. Avoid rich or heavily fed ground, which yields leaves at the expense of flowers. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting nasturtium 'alaska' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot nasturtium 'alaska'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for nasturtium 'alaska'. Nasturtium 'Alaska' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into light, free-draining, poor-to-average soil so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does nasturtium 'alaska' need?

When is the best time of year to repot nasturtium 'alaska'?

Can you put nasturtium 'alaska' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing nasturtium 'alaska' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise nasturtium 'alaska' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting nasturtium 'alaska'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.